Jet fuel, China, and lanthanum: a hidden risk to US military power projection

Payne Institute Communications Associate Macdonald Amoah, Director Morgan Bazilian, and Fellow Jahara Matisek write about how the US military runs on JP-8 jet fuel. Besides powering bombers, fighters, and helicopters it also fuels most US Army vehicles like M1 Abrams tanks and even the tactical generators that keep forward operating bases alive.  What few realize is that producing jet fuel at scale depends on a little-known rare earth element: lanthanum. It does not go into jet fuel itself, but lanthanum enables the refining process that creates JP-8.  September 15, 2025.